“Development” remains the top priority of the vast majority of the world’s governments and has been the central goal of dozens of inter-governmental and non-governmental international organizations as well as of generations of political economists. Despite the attention devoted to the topic, the appropriate ends, means, and measures of development remain the subject of intense debate. Indeed, few topics elicit greater passion because a community’s definition of development represents its most important values and aspirations; influences the distribution of social resources; provides the criteria for evaluating public policy; and literally has life and death consequences for many people and communities around the world. Empirical case studies provide some insight into developmental trends over time and cross-nationally using a variety of social, economic, and political indicators of development. Taken together, these poster presentations highlight common trends in development as well as the distinctive character of development across selected countries. This project includes contributions from 9 students, sharing information and insights to gain a better understanding of promise and perils of development.
